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Welcome to Mitchell Shire March 2018 eNews
 
In this edition (March 2018)

Find out about all our school holidays and Easter activities, check out our Easter recycling and waste collection guide, get involved in the future development direction of the Beveridge township, learn about the upgrades at Mt Piper Kindergarten and the Broadford Living and Learning Centre, see what's happening with our advocacy priorities, get the latest news on the Wallan to Heathcote Rail Trail and more. 

 
 
kids playing
PLENTY TO DO THESE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

If you're on the lookout for activities to keep the kids entertained, we can help.

Our libraries will be running wooden Easter Bunny and Easter egg workshops.

The pool inflatables will be out at our leisure centres in Kilmore and Seymour, along with intensive swim lessons and various Creche activities including clay play classes, board games and chocolate and jewellery making classes.

Mitchell Youth Services will be holding tie-dying workshops, skate workshops, a Funfields excursion, movie marathon, The Amazing Race, and Youth Fest.

SEE THE FULL TIMETABLE
 
 
EGG-CITING COMMUNITY EVENTS THIS EASTER

Easter is a great opportunity for a well-earned break and to spend time with family and friends.

Apart from the usual chocolate-based pursuits, there are many community events happening across our shire over the Easter long weekend. 

Art4CFA exhibition fundraiser

Thursday 29 March to Monday 2 April at Trawool Fire Station

Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday 1 April at Kilmore Trackside

Tallarook Farmers' Market

Sunday 1 April at Tallarook Mechanics' Hall

For more details on these or other events across the shire, please visit our events calendar (which includes information on how to list your community event). 

VISIT THE EVENT CALENDAR
picture of Easter Eggs
 
 
 
Easter waste and recycling services

Kerbside bin collections

There will be no kerbside collections on Good Friday. Bins normally collected on a Friday will be collected on Easter Saturday instead. Normal collections will resume on Monday 2 April. 

Resource Recovery Centres

Our Resource Recovery Centres will be closed on Good Friday. Normal operating hours other days at all sites (Broadford, Pyalong, Seymour and Wallan). View opening days and hours here

Easter recycling guide

Don't forget to keep up the good recycling practices this Easter. You can recycle cardboard egg cartons, cardboard Easter egg packaging, aluminium foil from Easter eggs and plastic egg cartons. Household recyclables can also be taken to our Resource Recovery Centres for free.

 
Illustration of bin with pictures of items that can be recycled
Picture of people celebrating the opening of the Broadford Living and Learning Centre
 
BIG CHANGES IN BROADFORD
Community facility upgrades complete
 

Broadford Mt Piper Family and Children's Centre

Young families can now access modern maternal and child health facilities with a brand new centre built next to Mt Piper Kindergarten. The $420,000 upgrade also includes open space for new parents and kindergarten families.

The upgrade was funded by Mitchell Shire Council and the Victorian Government's Department of Education and Training. 

 

New modern look Broadford Living and Learning Centre

The new-look Broadford Living and Learning Centre is now open after a major $660,000 revitalisation including four multi-purpose rooms, a kitchen with servery, an IT/e-Learning room, historic display and an outdoor area. 

The revitalisation was funded by Mitchell Shire Council and the Victorian Government's Growing Suburbs Fund.

Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes MP officially opened the new facilities with Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson earlier this month.

Click below to take a tour.

 
MT PIPER KINDERGARTEN UPGRADE
 
BROADFORD LIVING AND LEARNING CENTRE UPGRADE
 
 
 
ADVOCACY PRIORITIES ENDORSED Roads, public transport and access to services
 

Mitchell Shire Council’s new advocacy approach has reached a major milestone with the endorsement of core priorities for 2018.

The priorities include a mix of shorter and longer term initiatives across roads, public transport, access to services, infrastructure, education, jobs and investment, environment and policy.

For the upcoming State Election, Council will focus its public advocacy on roads, public transport, youth mental health and homelessness.

 
ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
 
 
FUTURE PLANS FOR NEW RAIL TRAIL In principle support for new trail
 

Council has endorsed a feasibility study for the extension of the O'Keefe Rail Trail in Heathcote and through Tooborac, Pyalong, Hidden Valley, Wallan and Wandong/Heathcote Junction.

The feasibility study was presented at the Council meeting last Monday.

Council will now look at the next steps including advocating for funding and further discussions with landowners.

 
READ MORE
 
picture of hands on an Aboriginal flag
 
ABORIGINAL MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH INITIATIVE Playgroups in Wallan and Seymour
 

An initiative by our Maternal and Child Health team will provide children, parents and families an opportunity to meet other families living in our community and provide information and cultural advice about services which promote the positive wellbeing of Aboriginal children aged 0-5 years. 

There'll be plenty of fun activities including music, art and dance, cultural celebrations for Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week and nutrition information.

The playgroups are being held in Seymour and Wallan over the coming weeks. 

A full list of locations and dates is available at the link below.

 
FIND OUT MORE
 
Lock it or lose it logo
 
COMMUNITY SAFETY FORUMS Join us and learn some handy tips
 

In partnership with Victoria Police and South Mitchell Neighbourhood Watch, we're running a series of community safety forums. 

The forums will focus on theft of, and from, vehicles as part of the Victorian Government's Remove It, Lock It or Lose It campaign. Community members can also talk about safety initiatives more generally. 

We're also holding forums for tradies including free tool engraving, and tips to reduce tool theft and ways to safely secure tools. 

 
DATES AND LOCATIONS
 
Youth Fest information
picture of draft Beveridge township development
 
BEVERIDGE TOWNSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLAN View the plan and have your say
 

Beveridge might be a quiet country town just off the Hume Freeway now, but it sits among the booming Northern Growth Corridor which is expected to be home to 252,000 people and 81,000 new homes.

We're preparing a township development plan to help manage this growth and we're seeking your input.

We've held two drop-in sessions at Beveridge. You can find out more and make a submission online by Monday 16 April.

 
VIEW THE DRAFT PLAN
 
picture of an abandoned trolley
 
HELP GET TROLLEYS OFF OUR STREETS New app to report abandoned trolleys
 

We've partnered with Trolley Tracker to help combat dumped supermarket trolleys across Mitchell Shire. 

Trolley Tracker allows people to report stray trolleys from Woolworths. Trolley Tracker will pick up reported trolleys and return them to the supermarket within 12 hours. 

You can report an abandoned trolley online, via the Trolley Tracker app or by calling 1800 641 497.

 
REPORT A TROLLEY
 
Committee member Laura Mundy with a quote it's amazing the calibre of people on the committee and when they look to you for your opinion, it really makes you feel valued.
 
ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE DELIVERS Six-month report now available
 

The Mitchell Environment Advisory Committee (MEAC) has been hard at work over the past six months on issues ranging from waste management, urban forestry, weed control, flood mitigation, fauna and flora, and environmental education. 

Some of the key highlights of the first six months have been the review of a local plan for the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, and contributing to a number of Council policies including the draft Whiteheads Creek Flood Study, 2017/18 Environment Strategies Action Plan and the Roadside Weeds and Pests Program.

 
READ THE HIGHLIGHTS
 
 
NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS WANTED Applications now open
 

Are you interested Mitchell’s natural environment? Do you think sustainability and environmental management are high priorities?

Then joining the Mitchell Environment Advisory Committee could be the perfect role for you.

Applications are now open for new members to join the committee, which aims to tap into the knowledge, skills and experiences of community members to provide Council with strategic advice and recommendations about environmental sustainability and management issues.

Committee members must live, work, study or volunteer in Mitchell Shire.

 
APPLY NOW
 
 
Funding sources key to roads maintenance in Mitchell Shire

Did you know that Council maintains a 1383km network of sealed (668km) and unsealed (715km) roads, 82km of concrete footpaths, 81km of underground drainage and 60 bridges?

We have a large road network and, at the moment, a relatively small ratepayer base to fund new roads and improve existing roads. 

This means your rate dollar needs to work harder to maintain our road network.

As our population increases and, in turn, our ratepayer base grows, we should start to see these figures improve.

However, in the meantime it is vital for the government to provide other funding opportunities including the re-instatement of the Country Roads and Bridges program which provided close to a $1 million a year to Mitchell Shire. 

You can see how Mitchell Shire compares to some other councils in the infographic below. 

 
roads rates comparison infographic. For every rate dollar from residential properties we receive, we need to fund 78.2 metres across our 1383 km road network compared to Whittlesea which needs to fund 14.9 metres, Darebin at 7.7 metres and Port Phillip at 4.7 metres.
CFA fire danger period still in place
 
CFA fire danger period still in place

Even though we've had some recent rain, it's still very dry and the CFA fire danger period is still in place.

The CFA has a handy Can I or Can't I guide which includes information about the fire danger period and Total Fire Ban days.

It covers BBQs and campfires, commercial catering, solid fuel barbeques, scaring guns, burning off, driving vehicles, chainsaws, lawnmowers, hot work, bees, incinerators and farm and road machinery.

Visit the CFA website for more details and to download the Can I or Can't I guide. 

 
 
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Mitchell Shire Council, 113 High Street Broadford, Vic 3658
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